Whiskey Dreams
by Princess Garen
Summary: He thought his humanity had burned; she delights in proving him wrong. TalonxLux. The Only Truth universe.
1. Whiskey Dreams

_So, if you've read The Only Truth, you might have realized my not-so-subtle hints of TalonxLux. This story is in that same universe, set a year after the events of chapter 20. You don't have to have read it for this two-shot to make sense. I've tried to make it as stand alone as possible, though I think there are some spoilers for The Only Truth which were unavoidable as part of Talon's character._

_This is my first attempt at mature stuff. It's not super graphic, more flowery like what you'd find in a romance novel. I hope it's not completely terrible. You've been warned! Also, given the title, expect alcohol use/abuse, lol. _

* * *

_Whiskey Dreams_

* * *

Talon's feet pounded against the concrete as he sprinted down the station tunnel. Just a little... bit... _faster_; if he missed the train, he was going to be stuck at the Institute until it started running again. Damn Piltover and its midnight curfew on the new public transportation. But as the assassin turned into the last stretch of tunnel between himself and the platform, he was greeted by the echoing hiss of the train and mocking red caboose lights pulling away into the darkness.

Fuck.

He hadn't wanted to go to the Institute to begin with, but he was Marcus's diplomat of sorts and _of course _Demacia had wanted Noxus to reconsider the details of their trade agreements. And negotiating with Demacia meant being in a room with _her _all day, the golden girl who made him feel like he was going crazy...

It started a year ago, when he began working as the envoy for Noxus in place of Katarina, who was, from what he understood, too busy fucking Garen to be bothered with politics anymore. He'd owed it to the DuCouteau's in his mind, though, for his failure to keep Cassiopeia alive despite his promise to do so. So he'd volunteered and found that the job required meeting for days on end with the diplomats of other city-states. And considering that Marcus wanted to construct some semblance of a relationship with Demacia to repair years worth of damage done by Boram Darkwill and Jericho Swain, it meant Talon spent a good portion of his time talking to Luxanna Crownguard.

He hadn't wanted to admit it then, but he was intrigued by her from the moment she saved his life during the last Rune War. He'd been prepared to die, had actually been ready to embrace it, but she'd appeared in a flash of light like some kind of otherworldly angel and rescued him. Clearly she was gifted with magic and, as he had since learned, intelligent to a fault. Something in the way she spoke made him think she was just a little strange, but it was that unpredictability that made her so different from the other envoys.

Of course, it didn't help his mental state that every time she smiled his heart wanted to explode. Little touches on his arm here and there, walking close enough down the halls that their arms touched, sitting next to him during meetings... it was enough to make him want to run. But even if he ran she seemed to find him and they would end up talking about anything and everything; she was an endless source of conversational topics and he found that he was eager to oblige. He thought after Cass's death he would simply revert to how he was before he knew her, but to his surprise, he discovered that he was lonely and ached for companionship. And so they talked.

By the time a year had passed he realized that he was attracted to her in a way that he _hadn't_ been with Cassiopeia. The youngest DuCouteau had made him feel wanted and her interests in him were known, but he hadn't felt the same as he did now. He was guilty enough that he'd never been able to return Cassiopeia's feelings, and the guilt had only swelled as he realized the extent of his desires for Luxanna; not only did the Demacian woman bring back the feelings of humanity he'd thought he'd lost when Cassiopeia died, but she also awoke in him an obscene hunger that he'd long since suspected to be lost in him. The kind of lust that kept him awake at night, begging for satisfaction.

Shameful.

But now, all other thoughts were pushed from his mind as anger filled him. Venting a kick of frustration at a nearby trash bin, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jacket, turned the corner-

And caught a brief glimpse of blonde hair before being knocked off his feet as a body went barreling into his chest.

"Ohmygoshi'msosorry!" a woman gushed as she, to his mounting irritation, continued past him at the same hurried pace. "Sorrygottacatchthetrain!"

"Well ya fucking missed it!" he shouted at her back, dusting the station floor from his plain black pants. He hoped she fell off the platform. To his satisfaction, the woman's anguished wail echoed about the empty station walls.

_Well_, he decided as he adjusted the backpack he wore over his shoulders, _no point in putting off the inevitable_; he would have to hole up in one of the Institute's crappy temp rooms-

"Hey! Waitaminute!"

Oh god.

He picked up his pace, planning to slip into the shadows around the corner but to no avail. The woman's pattering footfalls grew louder and within seconds he felt a hand seize the back of his jacket.

"Hold on mister!" she shrieked, spinning him around to face her. "You made me miss-"

Her words died in her throat as she recognized his face, and the anger on Talon's face turned into surprise. "Luxanna?"

Her heart-shaped face was pink with exertion and blue eyes glittered at him with the threat of tears behind them. The blonde hair he'd glimpsed fell in a tangled heap just past her shoulders and a knee-length, sleeveless blue dress revealed her bare skin to the warm summer air. In one hand she clutched an oversized travel bag, in the other a small purse. Her lips formed a small 'o' as she gaped momentarily before stuttering, "T-Talon? Wow, I uh, didn't recognize you in your civvies."

"Er, yeah, same," he admitted. "What are you still doing here?"

To his dismay, her eyebrows drew together and the tears bubbling in her eyes began to spill over.

"I-I-I just w-wanted to g-go on vacation!" she howled. Then before he could reply, the blonde dropped her bags and flung herself at his chest. Slender fingers clung to the front of his jacket with an unexpected strength, while his own hands, practiced in the art of taking lives, hung uselessly at his side.

"Uh, what?" he mumbled thickly. The scent of her hair which tickled his chin was dizzying.

The woman choked, "I w-was going to Ionia! The beach!"

The Noxian assassin cleared his throat, stretched his fingers. "I'm... sorry?" There, that was good. Surely she would let go now...

She sniffled again, making no move to disentangle herself from his chest. With all the grace of a drunken barbarian, Talon placed a hand on the blonde's head and half-patted, half-pushed her away. "Look, I should go..." he muttered, taking a step back, a motion that would be his undoing.

Her tear-streaked face stared back at him, a look of loss and sadness etched across her pretty features, and Talon felt his heart lurch into his throat. He took another step back.

And tripped.

"Are you ok?" she squeaked, leaning over to assess him in what he assumed was meant as a sympathetic gesture; all he managed to take solace in was the silky looking skin of her bare legs. For the second time that day, his face caught fire.

"F-fine..." he mumbled, scrambling to his feet. He hadn't fallen in years.

"I-I'm so sorry! I f-feel terrible about knocking you over and yelling at you," she lamented. "C-can I buy you a drink to make up for it? Seeing as how we're going to be stuck here in Institute housing, I kinda need it..."

The only response Talon could manage was a blank stare. "A... drink?" he finally croaked.

"Yeah," she said, a small smile breaking the gloom of her face. "A drink. Didn't you know the Champion lounge has a bar?"

The Noxian was torn. Alcohol dulled the senses, which could mean the difference between life an death in his brutal home state. But since the last Rune War and the efforts at pacification on the part of nearly all city-states, fighting had all but ceased; even League matches were becoming obsolete. Besides, Lux had saved his life during that battle, it wasn't as if she would kill him now. So he hoped.

He was surprised when he found himself saying, "Sure," though he couldn't help the distrustful expression on his face.

To anyone else the woman's smile remained unchanged, bright and cheerful, but years of living in the gutters of Noxus had given Talon a talent for reading people's most minute expressions; knowing a person's intentions were critical to survival. So when her smile faltered almost imperceptibly, the assassin was intrigued.

Finally, her gleefully fake smile faded into a sarcastic smirk and she added, "Look, we're practically family what with Garen and Katarina together and all. She trusts me. Besides, we see each other all the time. You have no reason to think I'm gonna try anything now. If it makes you feel better, my baton is safely at the bottom of my bag."

For once he actually felt embarrassed about his general mistrust. She was clearly at the disadvantage and willing to expose her weakness and yet he was skeptical of a drink. "Fine," he mumbled. She had a point, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd sat down with a drink and a pretty-

No. Better stop that train of thought before it left the station.

But Lux simply smiled, and this time, it was genuine; in a simple gesture of good faith she placed her hand on his arm and murmured, "Thanks. Drinking alone sucks."

He knew it wasn't magic, but it felt like it anyway, a ripple of electricity radiating from her fingers throughout his body. Every time they shook hands in meetings, every time she looked at him and smiled, it was like a current in his veins. He gave a harsh swallow, uncomfortable by the feeling, yet when she moved to pick up her bags, he craved it all the same.

* * *

"Lux! Welcome back!" the bartender boomed. He was a mountain of a man, seven feet tall and over half as wide, with a tangle of red beard falling to his waist. The plain shirt and black leather jacket he wore was stretched tightly across him, and his discomfort in the clothing was evident in his jerky motions.

"Everyday I'm without your company I die a little inside, Gragas!" the blonde joked. "You're my favorite part of coming here! Give me the usual, and whatever Talon wants."

Talon's head jerked between them in a panicked motioned. "Uh-" He didn't frequent bars enough to know what to order.

Before he could formulate an answer, Gragas leaned over to peer intently into the assassin's face, so close that Talon could see the flecks of gold in his heavy-lidded eyes; he felt naked under the bartender's intense stare. "...What are you doing?" Talon finally asked.

"I got a drink for you," the bartender said after a short pause before turning his broad back to the pair.

"What was that all about," Talon muttered to the Demacian next to him, who was failing to contain her giggles.

"Gragas is really good about picking drinks for people!" she laughed, earning a raised eyebrow from the brooding man.

After a few seconds, Talon began to tap his long fingers against the wooden bar in irritation, and Lux hummed quietly along in accompaniment. When he realized what she was doing, he lifted his eyes in question and she flashed him a cheeky grin that sent his heart leaping into his throat.

"Here you go, Lux," Gragas rumbled, sliding a tall glass with a blue liquid in it toward her.

She swept it up to her lips and took a swallow, then grinned, "Perfect."

"And for you," Gragas said, passing toward Talon a dark drink with ice. Both Lux and Gragas were watching him expectantly, though for what he couldn't say. The assassin shrugged and took a drink.

It had a dark taste, almost bitter on his tongue with a smooth burn, but as it slid down his throat sugar sweetened his mouth. Warmth radiated from the center of his chest, little tendrils of heat gripping his lungs. He coughed.

"What's it like?" she demanded.

"Bitter. Dark," Talon sputtered. "But sweet. What is this?"

The blonde looked at Gragas, who nodded and said, "Old-fashioned," before solemnly moving down the bar rail to take an order from Jax who had noisily plopped down at the other end.

"Gragas isn't just a bartender," Lux stated. "He's got as much magic in his blood as I do. Maybe more." A slow grin spread across her face as she took another drink. "He's pretty good about picking drinks that reflect a person, just based on what he can read from looking at you." She tilted her glass toward him. "Dark and sweet, huh?"

Realization dawned on the Noxian, along with a flush. "I'm not... Like that at all!" Sweet? Yeah right.

"Well he's never been wrong!" she smiled. "Though its not what I thought it was gonna be."

The Noxian pondered her words for a few moments in silence, then took another swig, letting the liquid form his words. "So, what's yours? Some overly sweet, fruity thing?"

"How is it that after all this time you don't know anything about me?" she smirked, though her voice held the same sad undertone as before. The blue drink in her hand was already almost empty and she signaled for another.

Feeling smug, Talon said, "Just from knowing Garen, I'm sure I can make a pretty good guess about you." Outside of business, she had a surprising playful sarcasm that he found himself mirroring.

"Oh really?" she inquired. "Let's hear it. I wanna know what Talon thinks about me."

The assassin thought, then explained, "You grew up with everything you wanted so you never had any worries about anything. Everyone likes you and you have a solid career being Jarvan's adviser. You're the best at what you do since you were in the League, with accolades from Demacia and the wealth and influence it brings. So pretty much, you have everything going for you and have no reason to be anything but happy. Am I wrong?"

Her blue eyes regarded him coolly and he was afraid, though he wasn't sure why, that he'd only succeeded in getting under her skin. His hands found his refilled glass and brought it to his face in a nervous drink. But Lux began to chuckle quietly and did not storm off as he was afraid she might. "Well, it's a start," she shrugged though he could tell from the grin set of her mouth that she was troubled. "I mean, I guess I can't expect that you would think about me as anything other than just another Demacian."

Maybe it was the drink, but Talon's face felt hot; he was embarrassed that his normally correct assumptions about people were, apparently, wrong. She was right though; he could tell from the sadness he'd seen in her eyes since they left the train station that he'd only scratched the surface. "Fine, you think you can do better?" the assassin challenged.

"Oh, certainly," she promised, eyes glimmering. A moment passed in silence while she examined him, and his own gaze matched hers in thinly veiled interest. "Ok, so you grew up poor, which is where you learned to steal, kill, and generally trust no one. But after meeting Marcus, you opened up a little bit, only to the DuCouteau's though. For whatever reason, despite everything you've been through with me and what you've seen me do, you still can't take me seriously."

A scowl pulled his face at her accusation. "Well, since this is apparently about you, I'll say that it's kinda hard when you're always smiling and laughing," he defended. It wasn't exactly true, but his pride wouldn't allow him to tell her he'd been wrong and she'd been right.

"Harsh," she mused, wincing as she took a drink. "I mean I understand. I only do it to get what I want, though. It's like a mask." Her eyes were sparkling mischievously now as she added, "I have all the ambition of a Noxian."

Talon couldn't help it, the statement was too absurd coming from this golden girl; he laughed.

Fucking alcohol.

Lux's eye widened slightly and she gasped, "You laughed!"

Instantly the assassin schooled his face back into neutrality, a contrast which only made him feel ridiculous. "So?" he intoned and, without a second thought, added, "I am human." He bit his lip but the words were already spoken. Human. The one thing he believed he wasn't.

To his surprise, she assured, "No I know," as she finished off her second glass. "It's just, you look so handsome when you smile!"

As her admission left her lips, her dainty fingers flew up in a futile attempt to snatch the words back. "Er, I didn't mean to say that out loud!" she blurted.

"N-no, y-you're- I MEAN, it's fine," the blushing man stammered. The bar could have caught fire from the intensity of their stares; Talon finished off his second glass in the silence. Before either could protest, Gragas set a shot of pink liquid in front of them.

"Gragas, I don't think-" Lux began.

"On me," he interjected. "To welcome you back."

Grateful for the distraction, Talon began to lift the glass to his lips only to have the bartender stop him. "You have to toast a shot."

Talon looked to Lux quizzically, and the blonde rolled her eyes, though after a moment a soft smile gently lit her face. "How about to chance?" she suggested, catching the Noxian's gaze with her own.

He considered the woman beside him. He hadn't realized it at the time, but missing the train turned out to be one of the most fortunate events he'd experienced in the last year. "To chance," he echoed and drank, slapping the cup down on the counter a second after she did.

They drank more, and he found himself telling her about his life, alone, neglected, and scraping out a living, his childhood fears and how he came to join the DuCouteau's; swaying slightly in her seat, she listened with a sincerity that made his head spin. Sharing with the Institute's summoners had been unpleasant and invasive, and what he'd told to his family had come in bits and piece, but somehow he felt at ease with her, enough to share the parts of him he kept so carefully hidden.

He was surprised to discover just how deceiving her smile truly was. He hadn't known that she'd been the tactical mind behind a good portion of Jarvan's actions, something Marcus tended to comment on as they discussed politics in the privacy of the DuCouteau home. And despite that, the golden girl, though she never stated so outright, was so lonely and tired she drowned it in her drink. She hadn't been what he expected at all.

But their talk eventually turned away from the past and drifted toward commonalities, debating politics, discussing the war, tactics, hobbies. Talon couldn't remember the last time he'd had such a lengthy conversation about things he liked; not that others weren't interested in him, but people were busy and he understood that. Before her death, Cassiopeia grew bored with serious talk quickly; Katarina had been in the political field so much that the last thing she'd wanted to do was talk about work, and now she was gone traveling for weeks at a time; Marcus was usually available, but, well, he wasn't a woman.

And somewhere along the way, the assassin lost count of how many drinks he'd consumed.

"So maybe you could be a Noxian," Talon eventually slurred. "You're pretty strong and really smart."

"Why, thank you," she laughed, a flash of hope flaring bright in her eyes for just one second as she entertained the thought of a Noxian life. "But I've long since lost all my contacts in Noxus. Where would I stay?" she asked, a mischievous smile on her lips.

Even with his minimal social experience, Talon knew he was being given a choice on how to answer. Talon thought, then prided himself on what he considered to be the appropriately flirtatious response for which she sought. "With me," he growled, leaning in close enough to see the light spattering of freckles on her cheeks. "I would watch your back if you watched mine."

He noticed that she too was drifting closer, her lashes closing over her glassy eyes and lips opened slightly on a collision course he didn't want to avert; his own eyes fluttered shut and he could feel the warmth of her breath against his mouth when Gragas smacked his hand against the counter and not-so-subtly grumbled, "Last call," causing the two Champions to jump apart.

A blush crept up the mage's neck and she mumbled at the bar counter, "You want anything else, Talon?"

Likewise, the assassin muttered a shaky, "No." He knew by now, by that almost-kiss, it wasn't just the alcohol making his head spin; he _craved _her, wanted to pin her against the wall like some kind of nighttime fantasy and-

But she was tugging at his sleeve now as she stood. "Bill this to my account, Graggy, and thirty for you," Lux commanded imperiously before bursting into a fit of giggles. Even Talon grinned. Graggy. Now that was funny.

The bartender merely covered his face with a meaty palm as the drunk pair went stumbling out the door.

* * *

"So where're we goin'?" Talon questioned as the blonde lead him down the Institute's marble hallways. Besides the summoner staff member that had assigned them rooms where they could leave their bags, they were the only ones awake at the late hour and their muffled footsteps echoed throughout the hall. Or, as Luxanna noticed, her steps echoed while Talon's made scarcely more than a whisper, even in his less-than-sober state. When she protested as much, he only smirked and suddenly his steps were as loud as hers.

"Teach me how to walk like that!" she exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at his feet.

"Assassin's trade secrets," he laughed. "I'd hafta kill you."

Lux scrunched her face in a girly pout and wheedled, "Come oooon," and his heart lurched again as her fingers tugged insistently on his sleeve. "I can reverse engineer spells but I can't do stuff like that!"

He found himself smiling and joked, "You didn't tell me where we're going. I'll show you if you tell me."

"You drive a hard bargain, sir," the blonde said sagely. "Fine, I thought we could go to the observatory before calling it a night."

"Observatory?"

"Sure! We can look at the stars and stuff," she grinned. "So can you show me how to walk quiet?"

"When we get there," he promised.

The Institute observatory was a small room laden with books on space and various instruments of science, but the focal point was the telescope. The lens looked as wide as Talon was tall and over twice as long. It pointed toward the sky, poking out of the rounded dome window which led onto a small balcony containing several smaller telescopes.

The blonde threw out her hands and gave a stumbling bow. "Welcome! I come up here sometimes when there's no one around. Just to think."

"S'nice," he admitted. He reached a hand to trace along the various instruments as he stepped toward the glass door which led to the balcony but before he could reach it, Lux snagged the back of his hood.

"Nah-ah!" she chided, yanking him onto his heels. "Deals a deal!"

He turned and gave her a cheeky grin, then vanished from her sight only to reappear staggering behind her, placing a hand on her waist. "Don't walk on your heels," he instructed, using his free hand to pick up her arm and lift it for balance. "Use the outside of your foot."

A blush burned under her cheeks at his touch and the sight made him dizzy with excitement. But his distraction at her proximity made him realize he'd lingered longer than intended; he jerked his hand from her waist and arm and stepped out in front of her. "O-ok, go ahead and try," he directed, a small tremor in his voice betraying his embarrassment.

With a determined nod, the blonde took a few steps until the gap between them was closed, then looked up hopefully.

Meeting her curious gaze, Talon laughed, "I think you were even louder than normal."

Lux's face dropped in a pout as she punched him lightly in the chest. "Oh, shut up! It's my first time!" Then with all the intent of silencing his teasing, she grabbed the front of his jacket in both hands and pulled his face down to hers.

He never fully understood how his hands wound up tugging at her hips, but she was pressed into him now and her mouth moved against his, needy and urgent. A mix of alcohol and her scent was dizzying his thoughts; he dimly remembered she was his coworker, a Champion, years younger than him but then her tongue slipped into his mouth and all objections seemed trivial in comparison.

The blonde swayed in his grasp as her hands left his chest to slide around his back, coming to rest shyly at the hem of his jacket. His own fingers tangled in her golden hair, ghosted along her shoulders, trailed down her back experimentally. She shivered in pleasure under his feather-light touch, a motion that nearly made him gasp in surprise at the hunger it awoke in him.

Lux must have felt the same: She drew away abruptly, breathless and heavy-lidded, gasping, "I'm sorry, I've never done anything like this before-" He didn't know what she meant by 'this' but his response was buried in his throat, a moan swallowed as she kissed him again. Rather than break away to try and speak, he answered her with his body, pushing into her hips with his own. Together they took a few drunken steps backwards until Lux met the wall with a quiet thud.

Scarcely breathing, Talon hesitantly withdrew just enough to take her bottom lip between his own, earning a whimper of longing from the blonde that nearly made his knees buckle. His hands found their way to her waist, moved slowly over her hips, before drifting around to the curve of her backside.

A heady sound escaped the mage's lips at the touch; her own hands were inside his shirt, discovering and memorizing each scar by touch. Lux broke away from his mouth, only to press a commanding kiss to his neck. His grip on her ass tightened and his moan was hot on her ear as she left her mark on his skin, one, then another, until she paused to admire her handiwork in the moonlight. Talon wasted no time: one skilled hand moved to cup her breast, the other gently pulled on her hair to bare her neck to him, a move normally reserved for a quick kill now allowing him to return her favor. His kisses began tentatively, but soon he was sucking and nipping at the delicate skin until the blonde was whimpering in satisfaction.

As his fingers stroked the tender peak of her breast through the cloth of her dress, her own had raked across his toned stomach and were fumbling at the buckle of his belt. When she'd finally succeeded in undoing the clasp and button, Lux unceremoniously thrust her hand beneath the cloth to run a hand along his throbbing erection.

At the sudden contact, Talon groaned in surprise, jerking his hips away from her reaching grasp for a moment before she seized his waistband and pulled him back. Teasing fingers danced along his length, then wrapped around him with a slow stroke; his own ministrations halted, his breath hitching against her neck as he tried to adjust to the shock of pleasure. After a few moments, his head cleared just long enough that he grabbed her hand and wrested it away.

Ignoring the disappointed sound from the mage, he instead moved to yank down the straps of her dress, pushing her bra along with it in his haste. The pearly skin of her naked breasts was exposed to the night air for just a moment before he bowed to envelop a perfect pink nipple in his mouth.

Tiny mewls of appreciation tumbled from her lips, and she wound her now-unoccupied hands in his shaggy, black hair while he nipped at her delicate skin. As he grabbed a handful of her skirt, slid a hand up her thighs, the blonde tugged his hair so he stood swaying, her dress still clutched in his hand.

"Talon..." Her voice was a husky whisper, her eyes glassy, and face red, a mix of alcohol and lust he knew his own face mirrored. "I think I want you."

"You think?" he growled, slipping his fingers beneath the line of her panties. She gasped as his digits reached the burning, wet core between her legs and paused, waiting for her answer.

"I've always wanted you," she gasped, seizing his hips. "Just fuck me."

At her admission, he slid one, then two fingers past her defenses, earning high-pitched moans from the mage writhing in his grasp. Already slick from her inner fluids, his fingers drew slowly in and out of her with ease, while his thumb pressed against the sensitive bundle of nerves at the apex of her legs. Her back arched beneath his touch, eyes fluttered shut, his name a mantra on her lips. One hand clutched his shoulder, the other curled around his manhood and stroked until both were panting with need.

All reservations fled Talon's dizzy mind; there was only the woman pinned beneath him and the hunger that needed sating. A hidden knife was in his hand now and in one practiced move he slid the blade across the band of her panties, sending the garment to the floor; if Lux cared, she didn't show it. His movement was clumsy but with her help he lifted her, reveled in the feeling of her bare legs around his hips for a split second before she guided his length into her.

For a moment he stood frozen, staring into her face and trying to remember how to breathe; then the blonde whispered his name and the daze was broken. He moved, thrusting into her and earning tiny shrieks of ecstasy from her in return. She felt so small and breakable in his arms but it didn't slow his assault, and he felt his knees go weak as she begged him, "Harder."

Talon paused, whipping around to look at the room before grinding out the word, "Table." With a firm grasp around her backside and Lux giggling in his ear, the Noxian all but tripped his way to a nearby table, setting her carefully on its surface. There was a lull as she hastily pushed aside the pointier objects strewn about and a scramble as he readjusted her dress around her waist, before he grabbed her thighs and plunged back inside her with a groan.

The view alone made the knot of pleasure in his stomach grow: Eyes closed and lips parted in a near-constant stream of breathy moans, Lux held the table's edge in one hand, using it for added leverage while the other thumbed her clit. Each thrust made her breasts bounce, and the skirt pooled around her midsection allowed him to watch as her folds engulfed and released his pulsing cock. The entirety of the situation seemed so surreal to the drunk assassin that, for a moment, he considered that he was dreaming; then the blonde took a sharp inhale and he felt her inner walls clench around him, grounding him in the reality of her orgasm. She arched off the table, throwing a hand over her own mouth as she moaned through the waves of her climax.

As the final waves left Lux twitching under his grasp, The Noxian felt the pressure of his own impending orgasm. He couldn't stop the quiet groans that left his lips, couldn't help but whimper, "Lux..." as his pace quickened. With eyes clenched shut and a strangled cry, Talon came, emptying himself inside her with slow, imbalanced thrusts; only when he was spent and whimpering along with her did he finally stop. His trembling hands moved to rest near her head as he slumped over her, and she pulled his face to hers in a breathless kiss.

"Let's get the hell outta here," he whispered when they broke apart. Lux nodded and laughed in agreement, pushing herself up into a sitting position as he backed away to pull up his pants. By the time she'd straightened her dress, her face was still a brilliant shade of red and seemed to darken as she hopped off the table to retrieve her underwear from the floor. She stuffed them into the pocket of her dress, avoiding Talon's eyes until she was fully composed. Even dressed as she was, he could still picture the way she looked sprawled out beneath him, the sound of her moan, the feeling of being inside her... He couldn't tear his eyes away from her as they walked toward the door, an expression somewhere between awe and doubt etched on his features.

An air of hesitation settled around them as they paused in the corridor; Lux stared at her sandaled feet, twiddling the strap of her bag and still refusing to look at him and for the first time since Cass died, Talon felt afraid. What was he supposed to do? What if she just wanted to leave, pretend it never happened? That would make their meetings tense, to say the least. Hell, would he even remember what happened? The world was spinning as it was and he already couldn't recall how they'd ended up in the observatory.

It was Lux who broke the silence, her voice timid as she said, "Soooo..."

The Noxian looked down at her swaying and trying to stifle a yawn, and decided that he wasn't the type to shy away from the unknown.

"You could stay with me," he mumbled for the second time that night.

The blonde's head shot up, a pleasantly surprised look on her face, and her lips curved up in delight. "I'll watch your back if you watch mine?" she joked, but the genuine spark of hope shone bright in her eyes.

"Something like that," he smiled, the knot in his stomach returning full force. With his heart hammering in his chest, Talon bumped his hand against hers and it felt like lighting when their fingers intertwined.

* * *

The first thing Talon noticed when he woke was Lux's warm and naked body curled into his side; the second was the overwhelming urge to vomit. Groaning, he pushed away from the warmth of the bed and staggered to the bathroom, barely making it in time before his stomach turned inside-out.

He felt clammy by the time his body stopped and wondered if it was strange that he'd rather be dead on summoner's rift than kneeling over the toilet; before he could stand, he heard the soft footsteps of Lux's approach and could only look up at her miserably as she draped a blanket over his shoulders.

"Get outta here," he slurred. His head was rested against her shoulder as she ran comforting fingers through his hair. "Ionia..."

"Ionia can wait," Lux smiled. "You're only sick because of me. Sorry for getting you wasted."

"No, I'm... Glad," the assassin admitted, ignoring the jolt of excitement that ran through his lower half at the blurry memories of the night before. "Why're you not sick?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.

At that the woman laughed, a motion that, to his shame, aroused him despite the roiling in his stomach. "'Cause I drink too much," she smirked. "And too often. What would you say about trying this again sometime, no alcohol?"

It took a moment for the assassin to process what she was implying, but when it dawned on him a slow smile spread across his face. "I'd like that," he whispered, voice hoarse. Lux cheerily rubbed his back as he turned again toward the toilet and emptied the contents of his stomach.

With no dignity left to him, Talon didn't ask her to leave again; instead he leaned back into her chest and she cradled him until he fell asleep.

* * *

It was late morning by the time he felt well enough to leave the room. For the assassin, the sluggish feeling leftover from his night of drinking was just as off putting as being drunk; he didn't even spare the limited conscious effort it took to move silently, much to Lux's delight. With their belongings in hand, the pair made their way to the now-running trains that would take them on to their separate destinations.

With time to spare, the couple sat side by side on a platform bench, the lightest contact sending shivers down the Noxian's spine. As they chatted down the time, he wondered how long their... whatever it was, would even last. When he posed his question to Lux, the woman shrugged.

"As long as you want it to," she replied cryptically.

Talon frowned. It's not like he'd ever had a real relationship; he'd never felt anything like this for someone before and, being thirty years old, at this point he'd thought himself incapable of anything long term. "Well, what do you want?" he finally shot back.

The Crownguard girl chuckled at the assassin's obvious bewilderment. "I think, like everyone else, I'd like something that lasts a while," she admitted, a light blush forming on her cheeks. "But I've never met anyone who could put up with me. So I've pretty much given up." Her blue eyes were challenging as she looked into his red ones. "That's why I say as long as you want it to."

For a few minutes Talon pondered her words, and then warned, "I've never been with someone before. I don't know the first thing about relationships."

"So?" she smirked. "If my brother can get it right, anyone can."

He had to suppress a laugh at the slight. "I'll probably do everything wrong," he added. "I'll make you cry."

"I like a challenge."

Shaking his head, the assassin tried dissuading her one last time. "You know how dark my past is, Lux. I've done things that a girl like you couldn't even imagine. I'm not nice and I'm not a good person. This will probably be a disaster."

She looked for a moment like she wanted to say something else sarcastic, but her face softened into a determined expression. "Look, I know how to protect myself and I know what limits I'd let myself get pushed to. You're right, you've got some issues and I'm not stupid enough to think I can change you. But I've got my own fair share of problems that might make _you_ run screaming." He rolled his eyes, but the woman continued, "I just... don't think you're a bad person at heart. Dark, sure, but bad... Well, that's what I'd like to find out anyway. At the same time I'm not gonna waste my time putting effort into something you don't give two shits about."

As she spoke, the rattling of the a train grew louder and by the time she finished the summoner station master was announcing, "Now arriving! Final destination, Piltover, the city of progress! Transfer for Ionia!"

Grabbing her things, she stood, Talon scrambling to his feet after her. His mind was racing, weighing her response even though his gut was screaming at him, "Do it;" his instincts had yet to let him down.

Before she could board, he shot a hand out, seized her arm, and pulled her back toward him. Bags flailing, she stumbled into his chest with a tiny 'oof' of surprise a moment before he cupped her cheek in a clumsy kiss. For a moment they stood locked together until the station master's announcement sounded again and Lux pushed against him, a silly grin adorning her face.

"I will put in as much as you do," he answered solemnly. "And I... will try to make sure your trust is not misplaced."

She couldn't help but laugh in delight. "Sounds like a plan," she exclaimed as she stepped through the train's door. "So, until next time?"

Talon nodded in agreement, ignoring his insides twisting in excitement; he wouldn't allow himself to hope yet, but regardless, his felt triumphant. With a raised hand, he backed away from the edge of the platform, heart lurching into his throat as she smiled and waved in return.

And as he sat to wait for his own train, he remembered the words she spoke to him when she'd saved him from Swain. Maybe he had found a light after all.

* * *

"Report."

Talon snapped into a Noxian salute at Marcus's command. "Sir. Trade negotiations with Demacia are completed. Jarvan's envoy Luxanna Crownguard has accepted the terms of our agreement with no further arguments."

Marcus DuCouteau collapsed back into his chair with a sigh of relief. "Thank fucking god," he vented. "That girl sure can fight a point. I swear, Demacia would have crumbled after Jarvan III stepped down if not for her."

At that, Talon's stomach flip-flopped, pleased that the man he considered his father was praising Lux's abilities. "You're probably right, sir."

"I know it. It's a shame she wasn't born Noxian," the old assassin lamented. "Ah well. Anything else?"

Talon hesitated before saying, "Permission to speak, sir?"

Marcus rolled his eyes. "Go ahead." The old man had as little love for formalities as Katarina.

Swallowing, Talon flexed his wrist that held his mounted blade, a nervous habit. "I wanna take a vacation."

The Grand General's face instantly twisted in shock. For a moment he gaped, saying nothing, then finally stuttered, "Um, ok... i guess that would be... ok. When was the last time you had time off?"

"...Um, never, sir," Talon replied.

Marcus pulled at his closely trimmed salt-and-pepper beard as he thought, then decided, "Have a couple of weeks. I can take care of things, and if I can't, Kat can stay long enough to do it." Talon sagged in relief but before he could say anything, Marcus added, "What are you gonna do with two weeks off?"

Talon couldn't help but smile. "I think I'll go to the beach."

* * *

_EPILOGUE_

* * *

As he walked into the kitchen of the DuCouteau manor, Garen paused to admire Katarina's scarcely-clad form; when she turned, feeling his gaze on her back, she simply gave him a look that conveyed all her misery. Chuckling, he crossed to the table where she sat drinking her second cup of coffee for the morning.

"You're up early," he murmured in her ear before pressing a trail of kisses along her neck.

The red-head made a sleepy noise somewhere between protest and lust in the back of her throat. "I don't wanna be," she complained, motioning at the papers in front of her; the Demacian peered curiously over her shoulder as he enveloped her in his arms.

"What's all this?" he questioned

"Talon's paperwork," Katarina groaned. "Apparently he's on vacation. Vacation! Just up and decided he wanted to go to the beach in Ionia. Left me with all this crap."

Garen's eyebrows knit together as she spoke and he frowned, "Ionia?" When she nodded, he said slowly, "You know... Lux just went to the beach in Ionia."

At that, the red-head whipped around to stare at him incredulously. "Really now?"

"Coincidence?" he suggested with a waning confidence.

The assassin shook her head. "They spend a lot of time together doing all this stuff..."

The Demacian's face grew steadily more disturbed as he considered the implications of Katarina's statement. They lapsed into a contemplative silence; then a red flush started spreading up Garen's neck and he growled, "Talon better keep his fucking hands off her."

* * *

Having arrived several days ago, Lux already had a slight tan and more of her skin showing than not in her revealing swimwear. She was sprawled out atop a blanket taking in the sun when Talon threw down his bags and sat next to her without a word. The blonde jumped and emitted a tiny squeak in surprise, jerking into a sitting position as she ripped her sunglasses from her face. For a moment she said nothing while he gazed back, expression neutral; when the shock wore off, she stammered, "I d-didn't hear you!"

At that he broke out into a cocky smile. "That's the idea," he joked. Her face dropped comically into a scowl and she punched him in the shoulder before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"What are you doing here?" she exclaimed when she caught her breath.

Talon pulled his jacket over his head then shrugged. He wore a simple sleeveless undershirt and his pale legs were bared to the island sun from his knee-length shorts. "I needed a vacation. Don't people go the beach on vacations?"

"What a coincidence that we happened to be at the same beach," she smirked; the assassin diverted his eyes to the ocean out of embarrassment.

He'd scarcely looked away when the blonde pounced and they crashed to the sand in a tangle of limbs. When their lips broke apart and she finally arched away to straddle him, they were both breathless and red-faced.

"What was that for?" he sputtered.

Her ocean eyes glittered with laughter and she put on a fake pout. "What? I have to have reasons? I don't know if this is gonna work-"

As she spoke, the assassin wrapped a leg around hers and, holding her waist, flipped their positions and stopped her teasing in one fluid motion. "I didn't say that," he growled. His knee brushed between her legs and caught her parted lips with his own as she gasped.

When he finally released his hold, her mouth curled up in a grin. "I changed my mind," she breathed, brushing his long hair from his eyes. "I think this'll work out just fine."

He'd thought the sex was good before; without alcohol, it was unbelievable.

With Lux curled against his bare chest and the warm sun beaming down on his skin, Talon again found himself wondering if he was dreaming. Never in his life had he experienced a moment this beautiful... and still he couldn't help but think of Cassiopeia. She'd been the first to make him smile, make him feel human. If she'd never been in his life, this moment would never have been possible. It hurt to remember that she was no longer here, but he realized that in the year since her death, the sharp pain had since healed into a manageable ache. He shifted his gaze from the clouds to the top of Lux's head and his grip on her shoulders tightened; if he was honest, it wasn't just time that helped him heal.

The Noxian closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of her mixed with the salty smell of the ocean. One day, he would tell her that she'd salvaged his humanity from the ashes of Cassiopeia's pyre, but for this moment he was content to hold her in silence. And as they lay together on the white sand beach of Ionia, Talon felt, for the first time in years, at peace.

* * *

_A/N: For those of age, Lux's drink is Loneliness, Talon's is an Old-Fashioned. Yummmm. _

_Also, as a disclaimer, NEVER have sex with someone who is under the influence of any kind of substance, even if they don't say no! Just... don't do it!_


	2. Trust

_The populace spoke and I deliver. Let no one say Kitty is not a merciful lord and master *evil laughter* I kid, but fa real, I am adding on to the Talon/Lux one-shot. It may or may not be what you were expecting. LOL._

_As I mentioned on a forum thread, I like Talon/Lux because I think they both have some issues, and that it would be one big mess when they get together. _

_First time really writing from the female POV. It was... strange._

ANYWAY, this is the last chapter of this, for real this time I swear!

* * *

_Whiskey Dreams: Trust_

* * *

_*THREE MONTHS LATER*_

In her permanent room at the Institute of war, Luxanna Crownguard stared into her melting drink, wondering if this time, like so many times before, she would find her answers at the bottom of the glass. But her trembling hands set the cup on her desk, then reached to brush her tear-streaked cheeks as if puzzled by the foreign substance trickling from her eyes. There were pages of law waiting on her desk, but they would likely remain unread tonight. Instead she laid her head on her desk and began to cry in earnest.

It would have been a satisfying release had there not been a heavy-handed knock on the door and her brother's voice calling through it, "Hey, Lux, are you there?"

She froze, hoping he would leave if she didn't reply and after a moment of silence, he added, "Let me rephrase that. I _know _you're in there."

The breath she'd been holding rushed out of her lungs in an irritated groan. "Sorry, I don't have time tonight, Garen," Lux lied in her most imperious tone. "I've got a lot of work to do before Jarvan gets here tomorrow."

"But I haven't seen you in months! Five minutes, that's all I'm asking. Except I'm not really asking. Don't make me break down this door."

The blonde cursed under her breath and downed her watery drink before stomping to the door and throwing the bolt.

Her brother was still dressed in his traveling clothes, a black jacket that had seen better days, a heavy red vest, leather bracers and a single, worn pauldron, and all of his clothing sported the wrinkles of traveling by train. The relief on his face instantly gave way to a look of concern. "Are you ok? You smell like a bar."

"Summer allergies and medicine," she replied easily, stalking back to the plush leather chair she'd commandeered from the Institute Archives. A look of comprehension dawned on her brother's face, but she wasn't sure if it was because he had believed her. She made herself shuffle through the pages and ask, "What brings you back to the Institute?"

She could feel his eyes boring into the back of her skull, could practically see the hard glint in them as he ground out, "First off, you. And Talon?"

Her heart leapt to her throat but she willed herself to calm before her cheeks reddened. "Gee, how was your trip? What are you and Katarina up to? Please, let's skip the pleasantries." she retorted. "Talon and I are the ambassadors for Noxus and Demacia. Did you really just come here to verify my job?"

"Don't bullshit Luxanna," he commanded. "I just want to know: Is there something going on between you two?"

Fixing her most threatening glare upon her face, the mage whipped around and snapped, "No! That would be highly unprofessional!"

"So it was coincidence that you were both on leave in Ionia at the same time?" he snorted.

She couldn't help it; her eyes began to sting. "Is it so unbelievable that people want to take a break? I mean, look at you! Your life is one big vacation now! And you've practically _married _a Noxian! I don't think you have room to judge me about _my _choices!"

Garen's eyebrows drew together in consternation as he hissed, "We're not... whatever! So it's true, isn't it?"

Luxanna wanted to scream at him, to tell him to mind his own business, that she wasn't his kid sister anymore and he'd never had any obligations to her. Instead, she, against her will, burst into tears.

"N-not anym-more!" she wailed, into her desk, burying her face in her arms. "I-I mean, I j-just... damn it!"

A bewildered Garen looked around the room, then grabbed the small wooden chair in the corner and placed it next to her. When he sat, he tentatively placed his hand on her shoulder. "What's going on?"

The woman took a deep, shuddering breath, then hiccuped, "W-we started, um, s-seeing each other a few months ago. It's j-just, we work together so m-much, things just... _happened._"

Her brother shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Things?"

As he'd been dreading, Lux sniffled, gave him a skeptical look and huffed, "Do I really need to spell that out?"

His eyes widened and a deep red flush began to creep up his neck. Luxanna rolled her eyes as he whispered, "H-how could you... why! That's not..."

"Let me guess: Not behavior befitting a lady of my stature?" she sneered. "News flash, Garen, I grew up in the military. I am as far from the definition of noble lady as one can be while still being called a noble. I'll act the part of the Crownguard when I have to but it's not me." She could feel her hands trembling again and she added, "Maybe I would be more of a lady if mother and father hadn't sold me off when I was still a child. Speaking of that, I really need to get back to work on this so if you'll-"

Garen's grip on her shoulder tightened and he forced her to face him as she tried to direct her attention back to the desk. "Wait. So was he not... the first...?"

The blonde grimaced. "Gross. I am _not_ having this conversation with you. Now get out. I didn't help you get rid of Mother so I could take shit from you."

He withdrew his hand to his lap but didn't leave, trying to accept the new image of his sister that she had forced upon him. While he processed, Lux went back to staring at the policy she would propose tomorrow, though her vision was still too blurred with tears to allow her to read. Finally, she heard him say, "Then, why were you crying?"

She flinched from the question, stammered, "Look, I really don't want to talk about it."

"Lux," he pleaded. "You're right, I'm in no place to judge. I just want to know what's wrong. You're my sister and my friend and I want to help."

The blonde held his gaze for a tense moment, then she sagged against her desk with a heavy sigh. "Fine. Pretty much, this is what happened..."

* * *

_Talon had her pinned to the wall, one hand gripping her chin, the other buried beneath her skirt, though the layers of her traditional Demacian armor kept him from his goal. His mouth covered hers, swallowing the sounds of her panting, the tiny moans that bubbled in her throat despite her efforts at silence. _

"_Quiet," he growled playfully in her ear. "Do you want someone to hear?" The assassin's own voice trailed off as her own hand stroked him through his gray pants and he emitted a quiet groan. _

"_I have to get back to work," she whispered before pulling on the red cloth of his cape which encircled his neck to suck at the tender skin._

_Talon gasped, then kissed her with renewed intensity, slipping his tongue between her lips and meeting her own. "Is it more important that this?" he questioned when he pulled away. _

_Lux made a noncommittal sound and moved to kiss him again, but the Noxian pulled just out her reach. "That's a yes, isn't it?" he asked, unable to keep the hint of jealousy from his tone. _

"_I... I mean it **is **important," she said guiltily, disentangling her hands from his body. "But not **more **important. I just have to-" _

_The assassin leveled an unsatisfied look at her and interrupted, "Look, I can't believe **I'm **the one saying this, but we haven't seen each other in weeks. It would be kind of nice to spend a little time together."_

"_I know, but this proposal I'm working on, it's everything I've been hoping to do for the last ten years," Lux protested, moving her hands to her hips. "I just have to make sure it's completely finished!" _

"_You speak tomorrow, right? During the representative meeting?"_

"_Yes."_

_He narrowed his eyes. "And you don't have it done yet?"_

_The blonde shifted her gaze to the floor. "Well, no, it's done. I just need to make sure it's perfect."_

"_Knowing you, it's fine," he assured, moving to kiss her; this time it was she who turned away and argued, "And what if it's not? I can't just assume it's fine because you want to fuck." _

_Anger flashed across Talon's face, a red stain under his cheeks and a hard spark in his eyes. "See, this is your problem," he hissed. "You're incapable of letting things go! It's always work, always checking things that don't need checking, making sure everything is absolutely perfect. You have this thing with control-"_

"_I don't need to hear this right now," she interjected, throwing up a hand to silence him as she tried to storm past him, but he seized her arm, spinning her back around to face him._

"_I think you do," the assassin snapped. "You don't let anyone help you because it's your way or nothing. The only way you know how to relax is by drinking-"_

_The tears in her eyes were threatening to spill. "Talon, let go of me," she commanded. _

"_Am I always going to be second to work for you?" he demanded. "Because when we started this, the agreement was that we would **try **to work this out. I don't think you're even trying!" _

_Lux threw her head back and let out a nasty laugh. "Excuse me if I actually have things I want to accomplish!"_

"_What, you think because I actually make time for you that I don't have my own goals?" he questioned, though before she could retort he continued, "Oh, well maybe you would know that if you cared about anything other than work!"_

"_Well maybe if you pulled your head out of your ass for five seconds you would see that there's more to the world than you!" she fired back. "I mean, this is all real gold coming from the guy who never says what he's feeling if it doesn't have to do with killing or having sex! Do you even care about **anything**?" The tears in her eyes were falling now, trickling down her cheeks in furious droplets. _

_And as suddenly as their fight began, it was over. Talon's expression cooled, his face stilled, body stiffened. A moment passed between them where the only sounds were his heavy breathing, her sniffling tears until he murmured, "You told me that no one can put up with you long enough for a relationship. The truth is, you can't be bothered to make room for anyone to stick around. What are you so afraid of?" The woman didn't answer his question, merely glared at him. He shook his head. "Forget it. When you can make room in your world for me, then let me know." _

_With those parting words, the assassin turned and walked a few steps before disappearing from sight._

* * *

Garen fixed Lux with an incredulous stare and clarified, "He said all that?"

"Close enough."

She could practically hear the thoughts filtering through his head as they sat in silence, until he finally slumped back into his tiny chair. "What an asshole." The blonde merely shrugged in response, staring into the desk as she too reflected on the argument, so he continued, "What do you think about what he said?"

Lux bristled, her face twisting in annoyance. "What do you think I think? I don't know what the hell he expects. It's not like I haven't told him how important my work is to me."

"You do a lot as Jarvan's Adviser?"

She couldn't help but raise a weary hand to pinch the bridge of her nose as she nodded. Just thinking about it made her feel tired.

"What about that has you so stressed out?" he questioned.

Her eyes darted past her brother, praying for some kind of divine intervention which would save her from having to explain herself. When it didn't come, she muttered, "I'm trying to pass a law."

Garen raised an eyebrow. "What kind of law?"

Again the blonde hesitated, averting her gaze to the pages on her desk. It was more than just work for her; this was how she would take back the childhood stolen from her. It was the resolution of a personal vendetta. "If it's passed, military service is no longer required in Demacia and... it sets an age limit for who can be recruited."

The soldier couldn't keep the surprise from his face, nor the understanding that followed. "Lux-"

"I don't want sympathy," she interjected, setting her jaw. "It's not like that."

"Oh, don't lie," he reprimanded. "Of course it is! Anyone with half a brain could see that it is!"

Lux rolled her eyes and snapped, "Well good, glad I'm so terribly easy to understand."

Garen opened his mouth to reply, but snapped it shut almost immediately, fixing her with an odd look. "He doesn't know, does he? That's why he doesn't understand."

The woman physically recoiled from him, drawing her arms protectively around her chest. Though she knew her instinctive action said enough, she couldn't bring herself to speak the words and settled for a solid glare.

Garen exhaled with a whistle of surprise. "No offense, Lux-"

"If you start off like that, it's bound to be offensive-"

"_No offense_," he continued, "but what _are _you so afraid of that you can't even tell him about your childhood?"

Her eyes shifted to the floor; she was surprised at how painful it still was to hear that. There was nothing more she wanted than to be alone to pick up the pieces of herself that were quickly slipping from her control. But her brother, stubborn, kindhearted, _idiot_, wasn't leaving and instead one of his big hands came down on her shoulder and he asked, "Are you ok?"

With a heart-rending cry, Lux dropped her head onto his chest and began to sob.

* * *

Talon jerked his blade from the practice dummy, not for the first time wishing it were more than straw. He could only hack the thing into so many pieces before it was done. People, on the other hand, tended to fight back and his blood was begging for a fight.

The post split in half after a particular vicious strike and the Noxian emitted a short, frustrated shout. Women! Even his experiences with Cassiopeia never left him feeling so... so... Fuck. One of the worst parts about it was that Lux was right. He barely had the words to describe his feelings to himself, much less to her. Anger and fear were commonplace to him, the first emotions he'd ever known and certainly the most enduring, but this was more complex than just simple anger or frustration.

The patter of footsteps behind him saw the assassin whip around in a blur of steel. The knife he hurled would have killed an unsuspecting person, but Garen dodged easily and the weapon implanted itself into the far wall with a resounding thunk.

"It's your lucky day," Talon sneered, his attention shifting to the not-dead visitor.

A smirk twisted the Demacian's face. "Katarina's are faster."

The assassin bristled. Everything about that man made him want nothing more than to cut his throat. "What the fuck do you want?"

Even though he was unarmed, Talon could see from the stiffness in his shoulders, the way he flexed his fist, that Garen was ready for a fight. As if tensions weren't high enough between them, he chose to close the distance between them before answering his question. "I came to talk to you about Lux," he ground out.

Talon liked to think he was ready for anything; nothing would have prepared him for that.

He didn't even realize that he had been silent until the Demacian prompted him with an impatient, "What? No snide comments? Not even gonna try and lie?"

"Sh-shut up," he snapped, immediately pissed that his command had come out with a stutter. "I don't have to explain myself to you!"

"You do when it's my sister!" he roared.

In the blink of an eye the assassin had his blade pressed to his throat and he hissed, "I could kill you right now if I wanted to."

"But you won't," Garen countered, "because if you do, you know Lux will be the least of your worries."

Talon threw a left hook that caught the soldier square in the side. He grunted in surprise or pain as he staggered, Talon didn't care, because in seconds he was upright and charging, his shoulder slamming into his chest and sending them both to the ground.

It would have been so easy just to kill him, stab his blade into his gut and be done with it as he bled out all over the ground. But Garen was right; if he turned up dead, Katarina would never stop looking for the killer. Smug bastard. Without the threat of his weapon, he was no match.

The two men grappled, flipping over in the dirt and scrambling for dominance in a tumult of fists, elbows and knees. Talon knew his punches connected, saw the thin ribbons of blood that unwound on his arm just as collateral damage from his extended blade, but the soldier was unphased. He felt a bruise blossom under his cheek as he took an elbow to the face that left him reeling and allowed the larger man to climb on top of him. The brunt of his weight kept Talon from moving as another of his fist pounded into his ribs.

"Fuck! Talk already!" Talon spat through the coppery taste in his mouth.

Breathing heavy and fists still raised, Garen paused his assault to growl, "Do you have any idea what she's going through?"

The assassin railed against him, a useless effort that earned him another short jab to his stomach. "She's stressed from work!" he coughed.

The Demacian crossed his arms. "You really think that's it?"

For a moment Talon merely glared at the man on top of him, then, seeing that he wasn't moving, he finally hissed, "We had a fight about her work, of course that's it!"

"I know what you were fighting about," he stated. "What I want to know is how after _months-" _Garen spat the word through gritted teeth- "you still don't know anything about her?"

"What are you talking about!" the assassin sputtered.

Garen shoved against his shoulder as he tried to rise. "I'll tell you how," he informed with a derisive smirk pulling at his busted lip. "It's because you don't open up to her at all! How is she supposed to feel safe telling you what she's really going through if you won't do the same? You're a man, take some initiative!"

A red hue was crawling up Talon's neck, a combination of struggling to breathe against the weight on his stomach and shame. "You don't know anything about me," he snarled. "You have no idea what I've gone through! I can't just talk about shit like that!"

To his surprise, the Demacian's face softened as he accused, "Look I'm sure you've gone through some pretty horrible stuff that makes it really hard to talk about things- no, no, let me finish- but if you're really going to make it work, you _have_ to trust her!" Again his face fell into a glare. "And if you're not going to, then stay away from her."

With all his threats made, Garen pushed off him and Talon inhaled sharply as his lungs were allowed to expand. He had to repress a groan as he rose to his knees. At least nothing felt broken, though the thought that he'd pulled his punches hurt his pride almost as much as the advice he'd just been given "Why are you helping me?" he called to his retreating back. If he could call this help.

The soldier paused, then turned with a look of distaste on his face. "Because you gave me a chance in Kalamanda. Now we're even."

Long after the sound of the door shutting informed him that he was alone, Talon sat in the dirt thinking. He might have accused Lux of being afraid, but in truth, it was he who was scared.

And that had never stopped him before.

* * *

Despite a tiring evening filled with tears, it had taken Luxanna a long while to fall asleep after finally convincing her brother she would be fine. Not only was her mind still troubled with thoughts of Talon, but her nerves for the proposal of her bill were beginning to fray, and she'd slept fitfully and woken before the sun. All morning her knees were like paper, and as she waited outside the council room, she could feel the weakness slam into her full force. She took a deep breath. This was what she'd prepared for for the past year, what she'd ruined her relationship for...

A touch on her shoulder made her start and she almost blurted Talon's name on instinct; he was always doing things like that to make her jump. "Miss Crownguard," a hooded summoner said. "They're ready for you."

The blonde swallowed, berating herself for being so silly as to think Talon would be waiting for her in the hall. "Yes, thank you," she nodded, forcing a wan smile on her face.

The summoner held open the door and her resolve almost wavered at the sight of the packed room. Not only had the legislature of Demacia, including her mother, made the trip to the Institute, but representatives from every city-state were present as well for the monthly inter-city meeting. She knew them all by name but that did nothing to ease her trepidation as she stepped slowly into the buzzing chamber.

Her eyes met with Garen's who was sitting between Demacia and Noxus, Jarvan on one side, Katarina on the other. He gave her a crooked smile with a busted lip, then shifted his gaze to his lap with a look she knew meant he was embarrassed. As her eyes drifted past Katarina, who gave her a small wave, she suddenly understood the source of her brother's awkwardness.

Between the red-head and her graying father sat Talon. Even though his red cape was pulled up around the lower half of his face she could see the purple bruise on his cheek that led to a black eye, swollen from the cut on his brow. Furiously she looked back to Garen but he seemed to purposely be avoiding her now.

"Miss Crownguard," the same summoner whispered behind her. "Shall I call the meeting to order?"

The blonde shook her head. "No, I will." As she reached the large expanse of the table, the chatter died down without her having to say a word and when she shuffled her papers against the table, the sound echoed in the room. With one last deep breath, she put on the bright smile for which she was known and began.

"Thank you everyone for agreeing to listen to me speak today. I will keep this short, because I believe this issue which I will bring forward today is something we have all considered, and I do not intend to belabor the point. Almost every city-state in Valoran has a law requiring military service on the part of citizens from anywhere between three to five years. In light of recent events, military activity has declined as peace has settled over our great continent."

She paused to see which of the people present were already able to see her point; a few looked surprised, most impassive as they waited for her to go on. Across the room, Talon's arms were wrapped around his chest, but she could feel the weight of his eyes fixed intently on her. Swallowing, she continued.

"With this decline, the number of roles available to service members has declined as well. Yet the requirement still stands and in Demacia, the military is as large as ever. Clearly, this is a problem. Not only are people not being given work, but the tax on the crown is becoming too great. I have begun to pass around the entirety of my research, but allow me to tell you who are in similar situations, in summation, what you are facing. Provided that peacetime persists, your government will be in debt within five years."

A murmur went throughout the room. Good, shock was good.

"The answer seems obvious, doesn't it?" she stated. "What I am proposing today is that each city-state dissolve such requirements and shift to an all-volunteer force. Not only would this lessen the burden on the government, but it frees the populace of Valoran to seek more universally productive means of work."

Around her, some of the delegates looked upset but most were intrigued, save for her mother, who only stared blankly into her lap. A familiar stab of resentment went through Lux's chest; _Yes, _she thought, _you know exactly what's coming next and you can't face the shame._

"In addition, my research uncovered that none of the city-states with these military requirements have a minimum age requirement for service. While, for the most part, citizens begin their service at the legal age of seventeen, there is nothing which prohibits a parent from volunteering their child prior to the legal age."

Another whisper of conversation went through the room, but Lux didn't wait for the chatter to die down before she added, "Just in case you were thinking this doesn't affect you, I want to tell you two stories." She took a deep breath and swallowed; there would be no tears today. "Growing up, I knew a girl who was given to the military when she was just thirteen. Her parents had officials take her screaming from her home to enlist." The Demacian delegates looked guiltily into the table while the rest of the world stared at them.

"And even though that was ten years ago, nothing has changed. Right now there is a little girl in Demacia who is training for early military service as the behest of her parents. She is eight years old and being robbed of her childhood. If you asked her what she wants to be when she grows up, she would tell you she wants to be a dancer, not a soldier." The blonde smiled. "And let me tell you, she is a magnificent dancer."

She looked at Katarina, who had a hand covering her smile, then scanned the faces of the people in the room. "I promised I would keep this short, so please, I urge you to do what's right for your citizens and Valoran. Thank you everyone for your time."

On trembling knees, Lux gathered her papers and made her way to her empty seat beside the crown prince, who gripped her shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile. "They won't say no," he whispered.

"I hope so," she replied. "I won't stop until it passes."

As she situated herself, Irelia, the Captain of the Ionian guard and the appointed leader of the meetings, stood and said, "Thank you for speaking, Luxanna Crownguard. I will open the floor to discussion now."

But Lux was already tuned out as her nerves got the best of her and a wave of exhaustion overtook her. For now, she had done what she could. Instinctively, her eyes sought Talon's even though she could no longer see him from where she sat. It was probably for the best, she decided. In the moment where she'd finally succeeded, the last thing she wanted was a reminder of where she failed.

* * *

By the time the meeting ended, Lux was floating.

It _passed. _

The hour after the meeting was a whirlwind of congratulations and discussion of the finer points and she wasn't even sure what else was said because she was fucking flying. But by the time the room began to clear and the excitement waned, she remembered that she was angry. Hellbent on confrontation, the blonde tracked down her brother in the hall outside the chamber.

"I'm proud of you, Lux," he started, moving to wrap her in a bone-crushing, but she deflected his arms with a curt wave of her hand.

"You must think you're so cute," she hissed. "Did you think I wouldn't put two and two together?"

"Hey-"

She propped her hands on her hips and glared. "I don't need you to take care of me!"

"Just trying to help," he pouted.

"Well stop it!" she snapped. "Now he's really not going to talk-"

"Miss Crownguard," a familiar brusque voice interrupted.

The blonde jumped and whipped around, then started again at the sight of Talon's swollen face. "Talon," she stated, willing her heart to still.

The assassin shuffled his feet nervously under her cool stare, but his good eye didn't waver from her face. "You spoke well. It was very convincing."

"Thank you." It was her turn to shift awkwardly. Why was her brother still standing behind her?

It seemed that the Noxian looked toward Garen before saying, "Luxanna, I was wondering if I could speak to you when you have time?"

Her face caught fire as her brother made a sound of amusement behind her, then finally turned away saying, "You're welcome."

Embarrassed, she looked at Talon's feet and mumbled, "That's fine. Actually..." He'd said she didn't make room for him in her life; if she wanted to change, she could start right now. "I'd like to talk now, if that's, if you want to..."

"I'd like that," he replied. "My, uh, room is nearby if-"

"Let's go," she commanded, taking off at a brisk pace. Maintaining the pretense of formality was irritating and people were starting to approach. In silence the pair made their way toward the residential wing of the institute, casting furtive glances to ensure their secrecy before entering.

For a moment neither said anything, standing hesitantly near the threshold and avoiding eye contact. "Sorry about your face," Lux finally murmured, reaching to touch his cheek. "Why don't you see a healer?"

He winced as her fingertips grazed the bruised skin. "It's not that bad. I just have a nasty headache. And I sort of deserved it and he owed me. It's complicated. Do you want to sit down?"

Lux nodded, grateful for the distraction and a reason to rest her weary legs. The assassin pulled a chair and placed it across from her, close enough for a dizzying sense of intimacy, the tiny space between their knees electric.

"I want to talk about my feelings," he blurted.

It took all of her willpower not to smile at how uncomfortable he was at saying the word 'feelings' and ruin the moment, especially after he took the initiative. "I have some things I want to tell you as well," she said quietly.

"Let me start," he stammered, rubbing his sweating palms against his thighs. "I-I'm sorry I upset you. I was... jealous," he stammered. "I know you've said you take your work seriously and I should have been more understanding. I _like _that you take charge of things and it was wrong for me to say those things to you." His red eyes had been directed toward his clenched fists, but as he finished the first part of his apology, Talon looked up toward her. Any mirth she'd been feeling was gone, her expression carefully steeled to reflect nothing.

Nervously, he continued, "It's still hard for me to trust people, even you. I mean, I spent so long barely even thinking of myself as human that all of this with the relationship is really just... overwhelming. I'm afraid of so many things. I'm afraid you'll reject me. And that telling you what's bothering me will make me weak. And... I'm afraid of showing you just how fucked up I am. I told you my past was dark and it's just so hard to get over that even though I should be already. I'm trying but I know it's just not enough."

Against her will, she could feel tears building in her eyes, her head swimming as she took the weight of his words. Why was _he _apologizing when the fault was hers? She breathed his name, intending to correct him, but he held up his hand and added, "Let me just say I'm sorry again. I can't apologize enough for how I acted. I said those things out of spite and I made you cry. I don't deserve to be with you Lux. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to be with you, I just don't know how. But I... don't want you to be upset either, and if I'm what makes you upset, well..."

The blonde shook her head. She'd feared that it would be difficult to start, but the words fell from her lips easily. "I'm sorry too," she cried. "I know what you've gone through and I wasn't patient at all. The truth is, I was so upset because everything you said was true. I... I do try to control everything, and I don't let people get close enough to know me and really, it's all my fault things weren't working." She took a shuddering breath, fear bubbling so high in her throat she thought she wouldn't be able to finish but she finally choked out, "If it's worth anything now, I want to try and change that. I want to tell the truth and the truth is, I wasn't honest about my past."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

She almost lost her nerve, seeing the honest look of worry on his face, but she recalled her conversation with Garen and steeled herself to explain. "In the meeting I said I knew a girl who'd been forced into the military when she was thirteen. That... that was me," she confessed. Her voice sounded so loud in her ears but it barely came out as a whisper. "I try to control everything because I've never had control over anything in my life before. I was forced into the military by my parents against my will when I was thirteen. Before that it was just endless years of trying to be perfect and following orders."

Talon breathed a quiet, "Oh," and she almost pulled away when he reached tentatively for her hand. But her previous anger was forgotten at the comfort of his touch and she found it in herself to continue. "When I was eighteen I started drinking just to have _something_ to control, a private little 'fuck you' to everyone, only now I can't control it at all." Never had she admitted that her drinking was a problem; it hurt more than anything to confess her weakness. Painful, and at the same time, relieving.

"I just... didn't want to tell you because you've had it so much harder than I have and I have no reason to complain or have problems at all!" she stammered. This would be the part where he judged her; her stomach twisted into knots. "I-I'm so sorry! I've always been so afraid that one day someone would find out just how broken I am, so I lied to you. I lie to everyone. I'm supposed to be p-perfect but I... I'm sorry Talon!" The tears that had begun at a trickle were pouring down her face. "Fuck," she cursed, a bitter, choked laugh following as she rubbed her fists into her eyes. "I don't know how I still have tears to cry!"

Silence fell between them, broken only by her desperate attempts to reign in her sobs. As the moments stretched in which he said nothing and only stared blankly at her, panic began to well in her chest. She started to fill the gap with a shaky, "I'm sorry-" but when she started to speak her words seemed to snap him from his stupor.

"No, Lux!" he interjected. "I wish I would have known sooner but everything you said makes sense. Hell, I get why you didn't tell me! It's not like I've given you reasons to trust that I won't betray you like everyone else has. I mean, I might have had a hard time of it alone, but no one ever turned on me like that."

A soft cry escaped her lips and Lux fell forward onto Talon's chest as what remained of her strength deserted her. "I really care about you, Talon," she whimpered. "I fucked up, but I want another chance."

His arms encircled her, warm and protective but his response was slow and when it came, it was not what she expected. "I'm just... worried," he revealed. "Things are good now and your work will be slower now. But the next time things get tough..."

The blonde stiffened in his hold, frozen by his blunt implication. "I... understand," she mumbled, trying to push away from him, but to her surprise, his grip tightened around her.

"Fuck, that sounded bad," he muttered under his breath before he reassured, "No, what I meant is that I know things could end up not working, but I am going to... trust you to try and I hope you'll trust that I will try. Does that make sense?"

This time he didn't hold her back as she leaned back to look at him. "I shouldn't have let you down in the first place," she sighed. "But this time it'll be different. I swear."

"Don't place the blame on yourself," he chided gently, taking her face in one of his hands. "It's just as much my fault. But now we know, right?"

"Right," she agreed, a slow smile spreading on her face. "And next time, I won't be afraid to talk to you."

"Same here," he laughed, then gingerly pressed his busted lips to hers, a gesture which ended prematurely with a wince.

Lux couldn't help but grin and lean forward to kiss his cheek. "You really need to see a healer."

* * *

"You're such a busybody," Katarina teased, rubbing her fingers through Garen's hair. "Matchmaking like an old woman."

"I'm not happy about it," he fumed. "Lux has awful taste in men."

The red-head's gentle touch turned into a soft smack. "That's my brother you're talking about," she warned.

He directed a mock pout at her. "Sorry," he mumbled. "What I'm saying is, he better take care of her or I won't hesitate to beat the crap out of him."

"He's a quick learner," the Noxian assured. "You don't have to worry about him. Now for fuck's sake, let's give them some privacy! You know as well as I do what things are like after a fight."

A look of despair flashed across Garen's face but Katarina dragged him away from Talon's door, though not before he heard a sound of delight that could have only come from his sister. A red flush spread to his cheeks.

Yeah, he was definitely gonna kill him.

* * *

_END_


End file.
